


The most wonderful time of the year

by masongirl



Category: Band of Brothers (TV 2001)
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Coming Out, Engagement, Established Relationship, Family Issues, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kissing, Long-Term Relationship(s), M/M, Mistletoe, Secret Relationship, Secrets, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 08:15:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28348251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masongirl/pseuds/masongirl
Summary: Carwood takes Ron to the Lipton family Christmas gathering. The only problem is: they think Ron is just a friend.
Relationships: Carwood Lipton/Ronald Speirs
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48





	The most wonderful time of the year

**Author's Note:**

> Some fluffy Speirton to wrap up this Christmas :)

Christmas Day greets Carwood with bright sunshine, beautiful blue skies and a completely uncooperative boyfriend. It’s eight thirty and they were supposed to leave half an hour ago to make it to Carwood’s aunt by lunch. Ron, however, is still in bed, hiding behind a pillow.

“I promised them you’d come.” Carwood tells him, climbing back on the mattress. “I don’t want to go alone.”

Ron groans. He’s on his stomach, and Carwood can see that he shudders when the blanket is pulled off his bare back. “I’m sick.”

“No, you aren’t.” Carwood laughs and leans down to press a kiss to Ron’s right shoulder blade.

Ron’s skin is too enticing to stop there though, and he finds himself trailing kisses all the way down to the waistband of Ron’s shorts, then back up. When Ron makes an appreciative noise, he straddles him and wraps his arms around Ron’s chest in a hug. He used to be worried about putting his weight on anyone, let alone his boyfriend, but Ron likes it - he loves being pinned down almost as much as he loves wrestling himself back on top. He enjoys the challenge. This time, he just throws the pillow off his head to reveal his messy hair and sleep-creased face.

“They think I’m just a friend, why would they want me to come?” He grumbles, then moves to turn over under Carwood. Once on his back, he opens his eyes and stretches. It’s a good sign. He may not have said yes yet, but his body is waking up.

“Mama knows, and she’d love to see you.” Carwood reminds him. He circles Ron’s left nipple with a fingertip, and Ron jerks, grabs Carwood’s hand and bites that playful finger.

Carwood breaks into a full belly laugh and gets up, but he’s captured around the waist and pulled back before he could take more than two steps. He’s still busy snickering when Ron kisses him breathless, folding Carwood’s arms above his head.

"Oh, you got me."

Ron kisses his smile, tugging at Carwood’s dress shirt. He’ll have to iron it again. "Can we have an extra hour?"

Carwood raises his eyebrows. "That long?"

"Thirty minutes." Ron amends.

They are already late as it is, but it doesn’t seem to matter because Ron is warm and affectionate and his wavy hair glitters in the sunshine. Carwood unbuttons his trousers. "Yeah, all right. But no marks above the collar."

"Of course."

They end up leaving at ten.

* * *

The driveway of Aunt Margo’s house is already packed with cars by the time they arrive, so Ron parks further down the street, behind the cover of a large hedgerow. He turns off the engine and gives Carwood a plaintive look.

“It’s not too late. We could go sightseeing instead.”

Carwood smiles and kisses him one last time before they have to pretend they’re buddies and nothing more. When he pulls away, he combs a stray lock of hair back into Ron’s fringe. “Two days a year isn’t the end of the world.”

“We’ll see.” Ron mutters and exits the car. “Why am I here again?” He asks a few minutes later, juggling a pile of presents in his arms.

Carwood knows he’s asking about their cover story, but he can’t help but smile at Ron’s flat tone. “Your parents are on a business trip and you didn’t want to spend the holidays alone.”

“I’m glad your family welcomes charity cases.” Ron scowls as they make their way through the snowy front yard.

“Don’t be mean.” Carwood sighs.

He doesn’t dare risk stroking Ron’s back now. He’s pretty sure a nosy relative is already watching them through the window. It’s not that he’s ashamed of his sexuality - or Ron, for that matter - it’s just, he knows that a large part of his family wouldn’t take it well. He doesn’t want to ruin anyone’s holidays. And then he just never really finds an opportune time to come out to people he only sees once a year. Mama has known since he and Ron started dating, and even for her, it wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. She was worried about him, about his future, and blamed herself for something that shouldn’t even be a bad thing in an ideal world. It took her several months to come to peace with it. She had to realize that the only thing that mattered in the end was the fact that Ron made her son happy. Nevertheless, Carwood is still reluctant to subject both himself and his love to such a reaction again. No, he'd rather put up an act once every year.

The front door is thrown open before they could ring the bell, and Carwood’s grandma whirls out of the house, exclaiming. “Carrie, darling! You should have called, you had us worried sick. We thought you had an accident on the freeway.”

She envelopes Carwood in a hug, almost knocking his and Ron’s bags out of his grip. Carwood doesn’t need to see Ron to know he’s rolling his eyes at the ridiculous display. Thankfully, she doesn’t notice Ron until he lets Carwood go, and she seems baffled by his presence even then. “Oh, and you… Radcliffe, right?”

It's impressive that Ron’s expression stays as blank and still as an antique statue’s. “Ronald.”

She doesn’t acknowledge her mistake, just goes on rambling. “I’m sorry to hear about your parents. It was nice of Carrie to invite you. No one should be alone on Christmas Day.” With that, she’s off to let the rest of the family know they’ve arrived.

“Thanks for taking pity on me, _Carrie.”_ Ron drawls while they’re shrugging their coats off in the hall.

Carwood tuts and strokes a hand down Ron’s chest to placate him. “Behave.”

Although it’s not an easy feat, Ron does his best to keep up the act, Carwood has to give him that. His endurance is admirable. Without a single complaint, he sits on the couch near the fireplace and lets Aunt Margo talk his ears off about a soap opera she watches every week. He plays nice with Carwood's rude uncle and doesn't blow up at the kid who hits him in the shin with a toy. He doesn’t look at Carwood until the family gets up for dinner, because as soon as their eyes meet, a wave of uncontrollable laughter threatens to break out of them. They manage to curb it somehow, but they still get a curious look from one of Carwood’s cousins and her friend, Lisa. It's just so funny to think about their big secret and to see how blind all these people are to it.

“If I can’t sit next to you, I’ll have to shoot something.” Ron mutters under his breath as they approach the dining room.

“Then I hope you don’t have a rifle stashed in the car.” Carwood replies, knowing full well that he’ll be seated between his mom and Lisa, who’s so sweet on him that she chose to ditch her family on one of the most important days of the year. He feels sorry for her, but nothing he could say would dampen the disappointment she’ll have to face eventually. He kind of hopes she'll get the hint this year.

The look Ron gives him when he sees his name between Carwood's grandpa and Aunt Margo makes Carwood laugh. If he was on the receiving end of such a death glare back home, he’d kiss it away until Ron gave in to a reluctant smile, but he can’t do that here. His heart aches. Why is it that every decision becomes so damn complicated when family is involved?

* * *

Dinner is chaotic and embarrassing. Uncle David claims he knows everyone’s taste and proceeds to pour plum tea in Ron’s glass, which is the only flavour that makes Ron gag. The disgust on Ron's face is the most hilarious moment of the entire night. Carwood’s grandpa is already drunk and he forgets that the Vietnam War isn’t the best topic for a family occasion, although his tirades seem to intrigue Ron at least. Lisa is blatantly hitting on Carwood and makes every conversation awkward with her flirting and badly worded innuendo. Ron is sitting almost directly across from them and watches the whole thing, flitting between jealousy and schadenfreude. He’s a possessive man, always touching and keeping Carwood close if he can, and Carwood hates that he has to put his patience to test like this. He gives Ron a sheepish smile, but Ron just shakes his head and stabs the meat on his plate.

They exchange presents by the Christmas tree after dessert. Since Ron isn’t an official part of the family, he tries to stay out of it altogether and plays Christmas songs on the piano instead. It’s a direct key to the heart of Grandma Edith who, from then on, clings to Ron and interrogates him under the cover of small talk. Ron doesn’t engage beyond his usual coldly polite one-word answers, but Carwood’s little niece takes notice after a while.

“Where's your own family, Ron?” She asks with the childlike bluntness that often makes adults uncomfortable.

Ron shrugs. “I consider Carwood family.”

Christ. Carwood’s face heats up and he’s afraid he’ll give everything away if he draws attention to himself, so he takes a sip of his drink and hopes that Ron won’t blow their cover. Luckily, he’s saved by Uncle David, who has just opened his present and exclaims in delight over finding a power drill. It distracts Ron’s small audience long enough for him to slip away into the kitchen. Under the guise of refilling his glass, Carwood follows him.

Ron’s waiting for him by the counter, gripping it with both hands. “This is torture.” He says. “I know why we’re doing it, but is it really worth it?”

“I don’t know.” Carwood sighs and puts his hand on Ron’s.

For a minute, they just stare at each other, then Ron raises their joined hands and presses a firm kiss to the back of Carwood’s.

He’s halfway back to the living room before Carwood could even think of a reply. He's upset, it's obvious, and that upsets Carwood too. Ron's question lingers in the air. Is someone else’s peace of mind worth this facade? Carwood rests his forehead against the cabinet and listens to the noises of his family horsing around. No matter how he tries, he can't shake the bitter feeling in his throat. His skin tingles where Ron’s lips touched it.

Back in the living room, his more competitive family members have started a board game and they shout at him to join. Thinking that it might take his mind off his and Ron's conundrum, he agrees and manages to distract himself for exactly one round of a game he's rather bad at. Ron wins and spends the following ten minutes with the smuggest gleam Carwood has ever seen radiating from his eyes. He bets it gives Ron extra satisfaction that he defeated a bunch of people he doesn't particularly like.

Margo gives them separate rooms for the night, but Carwood’s brother complains that he doesn’t want to bunk with someone as boring as Carwood. His whining makes Ron laugh out loud.

“I can swap with you, Jack.” He offers like a valiant knight and grins all the wider when Carwood thanks him for his enormous sacrifice.

At midnight, when everyone has turned in and the house is quiet, Carwood climbs into Ron’s small bed and kisses the back of his neck. “Thank you.”

Ron doesn’t answer, but he turns so that Carwood can pillow his head on his chest. Sleep eludes them for a long time.

* * *

After breakfast on Boxing Day, the more active part of the family goes for a walk. It’s the most pleasant part of their visit so far. Carwood entertains Ron with silly anecdotes about his childhood and helps him build a snowman by a deserted playground. He laughs until his cheeks hurt when Ron starts a huge snowball fight with his cousins. It's an almost perfect moment.

When they get back to the house, everyone makes a run for the kitchen, but Carwood grabs Ron’s elbow before he could follow them. He points at the ceiling.

“Really?” Ron deadpans when he spots the mistletoe.

“I think Margo put it there hoping Lisa and I would end up under it.” Carwood whispers. Someone must have started playing Christmas music on the sound system in the living room, because a soft jazz melody drifts through the hallway. Ron nudges Carwood’s arms until they’re looped around his neck, then puts his hands on Carwood’s waist. They sway in place under the mistletoe, not quite dancing but still letting the music flow through their embrace like sweet, spicy warmth. Ron kisses him on the mouth, then pulls back only for a second before he does it again.

“I love you.” Carwood tells him while they’re still close enough that his words are swallowed by Ron’s lips as soon as they form on his.

“Do you now?” Ron grins and kisses him again.

“I do. Very much.”

Ron hugs him tight. "I love you too. Even if your family drives me crazy.”

* * *

Everything comes to a head at lunch, only a few hours before they have to go home. Aunt Margo and Carwood’s grandma keep talking about Lisa, about how nice she is, how she loves the same books Carwood does, how she wants to move to a bigger city, such as Boston. It gets to the point where Carwood has to tell them outright that he’s not interested, but that just opens another can of worms. _How on Earth is he not interested? Does he have a girlfriend? Is he looking for one? It’s high time to think about marriage, his father has already had him when he was Carwood’s age…_ It’s an endless pressure.

Carwood is desperate to deflect their attention, but they’re bored, and his silence is interesting. Every now and then, the topic comes up again no matter how frantically he changes the subject. He can see that Ron’s expression turns darker the longer they push him, but he stays quiet.

Right until Margo realizes that he might be a valuable source to learn at least a little bit about Carwood’s secretive love life. She turns to him.

“Come on, give us something to gossip about.” She jokes, elbowing Ron in the ribs.

Ron leans back and crosses his arms. He has had enough, Carwood can see it, can pinpoint the exact moment he snaps. He hates being poked. “You can stop harassing him, he already has a long-term partner."

That piques the interest of Carwood’s cousin. She's already texting Lisa under the table. “Oh my God. How long have you two been together? Are you getting married?” She squeals at Carwood, but it’s Ron who answers.

“Three years.” He says, twirling his glass between his fingers. He’s staring straight at Carwood, but when he doesn’t spot any protest in Carwood’s eyes, he goes on. “And there may have been some talk about a ring.”

The table erupts in excited chatter and Carwood gets a barrage of questions. His mom, the only one who understands what this all means, squeezes Carwood’s forearm and keeps glancing between them with a hopeful smile. Carwood blushes when he sees tears in her eyes. He turns back to Ron and shakes his head, grinning bashfully. _We weren’t supposed to announce it yet!_ He wants to shout, but it’s too late now, the cat is out of the bag. He hones in on the question his grandma aims at him.

“What’s her name?”

He braces himself for the avalanche and tells the truth. “Grandma, it’s Ron. He's my partner.”

In the ensuing silence, you could hear a pin drop, then the table explodes in a confused cacophony of noises, but all Carwood sees is Ron's bright smile.

_~End~_


End file.
